Sonic and the City of Gems
by NetBladeZero
Summary: After Sonic Next Gen, Eggman invited Sonic and the gang to come to his base again! But something bigger than Eggman is going on!
1. Chapter 1: The Message

This takes place after Sonic the Hedgehog 2006. The characters don't remember the events because after they defeated Solaris they went back in time and made it so they never happened.

* * *

Sonic and the City of Gems

* * *

Chapter 1: The Message

* * *

"Yahooo!" Sonic yelled as he sped down the road in his motorcycle. Amy, Cream and Cheese and Tails were watching him from a nearby hill. They have a picnic set up. 

"Darn you Sonic," Amy said. "This was supposed to be a day of relaxing! You just couldn't help yourself, could you!"

"I'm surpised he's even on that thing," said Tails. "He's never cared about using vehicles before. He's always loved running!"

"He's really slowed down lately," said Cream. "Nothing's really happened since Shadow defeated Black Doom."

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen Shadow lately,"Amy said. "I wonder what he's doing."

* * *

Sonic continued his high speed down the road. He saw turtle robots with cannons on their backs destroying the bridge ahead. 

"Aww," Sonic said. "Not now Eggman!"

Sonic brakes the motortcycle and jumps off. While still in the air, he used homing attack on one turtle, destroying it. He then jumped to another turtle and landed on it. Another turtle aimed its cannon at him. Sonic jumped off the turtle and it was hit by the other turtle's blast. He then jumped to the other turtle. Before Sonic landed on it, it startes to charge up a blast. Sonic landed on it, grabbed it's cannon, and bent it so that it pointed down. It was to late to stop the blast as the turtle blew itself to peices.

Sonic landed on the ground and looked for his motorcycle. He noticed it on the edge of the road. It was blown off of the hill and into the water below by the explosion.

"No!"Sonic said. He watched as the motorcycle slowly sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

"Arrgh!" Sonic said, punching the ground. "Eggman, You'll pay!"

"Chill out, Sonic."

"Huh?" Sonic said, looking up at Amy. "Oh, hey Amy."

"Cheer up," Amy said. "You can always get another one."

"Or I can make you one," said Tails. "Just for you."

"Cool!" said Sonic, giving Tails a thumbs-up.

"Look," said Cream, pointing up. A letter floated down from the sky. Cheese flew up and grabbed it. It was a video letter, like the one Eggman sent in Sonic Heroes. Cheese gave it to Sonic, and everyone gathered round as Eggman began to speak.

* * *

_Greetings Sonic,_

_I have now created my most spectacular machine. I am not telling you what it is or does, you'll just have to come to my base and see! If you want the planet to survive, you'll have to obey me! See you there!_

_Eggman_

_

* * *

_"This again?" Sonic said. "He's said this before! And then we ended up fighting the Egg Fleet!" 

"Hmm, I think it's a trick." Amy said.

"It may be, but we can't assume he's lying." said Sonic. "Let's go Tails, we're going!"

"Okay! I'll get the X-Tornado!"

Tails flies off to get the X-Tornado. Sonic sat down, leaning back on a wall on the bridge. He looked up to the sky.

_What is Eggman planning this time? Doesn't he ever tire? At least the last time he told me it was a weapon. What could it be? Another Egg Fleet? Another big mech? A giant laser like the eclipse cannon? What HASN'T he tried yet?_ Sonic thought.

"Sonic, look out!" Amy yelled.

Sonic snapped out of it and got out of the way as the X-Tornado touched down.

"Ready Sonic?" Tails asked.

"Oh yeah!" Sonic says. "Time to crack that Eggman wide open!"

Sonic jumped into the X-Tornado. "Amy,Cream, stay here!"

"Okay." Amy said sadly.

"Don't worry Amy. we'll be alright!"

"Hey! Sonic! Wait!"

"Huh?" Sonic said. "Who's that?"

Everyone sees a red figure running down the road, coming straight toward them. When he gets there, everyone recognizes him.

"Oh, hey Knuckles!' said Sonic. "Long time no see!"

Sonic jumps down from the X-Tornado and he and Knuckles shake hands.

"It's good to see you and all Knuckles," Tails said. "But me and Sonic have got to get going! Eggman's causing trouble again!"

"That's just it, Tails,"Knuckles said. "I got a letter from him telling me to come to his base!''

"You kidding? Us too!'' Sonic said, with a little joy in his voice. "Well, hop in!"

Knuckles climbs in and Sonic jumps back in. "Bye guys!" Amy and Cream said as the X-Tornado takes off into the sky.

"Oooh!" Amy said, stomping her foot on the ground and clenching her fists. "That stupid Eggman, taking my darling Sonic away from me once again!"

* * *

Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, flying in the X-Tornado, all wondered what Eggman could be planning THIS time. Knuckles thought of the time when they all faced Chaos, the humanoid water creature. He remembered battling Chaos 6 aboard Eggman's Egg Carrier, and the battle against Perfect Chaos in the end, when Eggman lost his control over Chaos and it blasted his Egg Carrier out if the sky; his plan backfired. 

Tails thought about the day Sonic found Emerl, a.k.a. the Gizoid, and the days with him thereafter. Everyone had possession of the robot at one time or another, and all wanted him for different reasons. Rouge wanted to turn it into a master thief, and Shadow sensed that, despite their efforts to humanize him, Emerl was still designed and programmed to be a weapon of mass destruction. In the end, though, Chaos somehow returned, and Emerl defeated it and challenged Eggman, who was going to use the Final Egg Blaster to destroy thr planet, aboard the Death Egg. Emerl aslo malfunctioned and went haywire, and almost destroyed the planet. Sonic had to fight him, which resulted in Emerls destruction.

Sonic thought about what happened in between what Knuckles and Tails thought about. he thought about when Eggman unleashed Shadow, and the two hedgehogs fought many times. In the end, when Eggman's plan backfired again, the two had to team up to fight the Biolizard and the FinalHazard. Sonic also remembered the battle against Metal Sonic, a creation that aslo turned on Eggman. Sonic, Knuckles and Tails teamed up to face Metal Madness and Metal Overlord.

All three thought about the time the Black Arms' came to earth, and in the final battle between Shadow and Black Doom, Eggman was a big help. But, after that battle he returned to his evil ways, with no one to compete with anymore.

All three caught sight of Eggman's base. It was just as big as his air base from Sonic Heroes, except it was on the ground. They remembered how hard it was to destroy the air base, with its lasers and big robots guarding everything.

"Well guys," said Knuckles."Here we go again."

Sonic, Tails and Knuckles jumped down off of the X-Tornado. Sonic fell, Knuckles glided and Tails flew down into the emormous base. A small ball of light followed them and was unnoticed by them.

"Yes! I can finally contact them," said a voice coming from deep inside the ball of light.


	2. Chapter 2: Infiltration

* * *

Also because this is after Sonic Next Gen, the characters have their looks from it. Animals(taller, skinnier) Eggman(Taller, slimmer, no goggles on the top of his head)

* * *

Chapter 2: Infiltration

* * *

"Here we go!" Tails said as he carried Sonic and Knuckles toward another platform. A hidden bomb had exploded, and it would have been over had it not been for Tails. 

"Whew," Sonic said. "Thanks a bunch Tails. I don't know what we'd do without you!"

Just then, a black and red blur zoomed past the trio. Tails almost dropped Sonic and Knuckles.

"Whoa, what was that?'' Tails asked.

"I don't know," said Sonic. "Let's keep going. Maybe we'll find out."

Tails flew to a platform and dropped the other two. A giant silver robot with a huge hammer fell from the sky, causing an earthquake.

"Yeah, time to party!" Sonic said.

"I got this Sonic." Knuckles said. He ran towards the robot, avoiding a slamming attack from the hammer. He jumped up and slammed his fiery fists down on the hammer, destroying it. But the robot was not defenseless. It got into a fighting stance.

"So, ya wanna take ME on?" Knuckles said.

The robot put his hand forward and said come here with his hand. Knuckles charged at the robot. He attempted an uppercut, but the robot dodged it and punched Knuckles to the ground, keeping him down with his fist.

"Ugh, get offa me!" Knuckles said as he wiggled his arms and legs, trapped under the robots massive fist. Just then, Sonic used homing attack in the robots head. the robot used his free hand to punch Sonic down by stretching his arm.

"Aww!" Sonic said. "Tails, help!"

Tails' hand glowed and turned into a red laser cannon(from Sonic Battle)and fired it at the robot, destroying everything but the head. The head fell down and rolled around before stopping. Sonic and Knuckles got up, surprised.

"What?" Tails asked. "Oh, this." He pressed a button on the laser. His hand returned to normal.

"Look, I'm not a robot, okay guys? This is something I invented. Don't you remember?"

"Whatever," Sonic said. "Let's move on."

Sonic and the others walk on. A metallic hedgehog watches them from behind a wall.

* * *

Dr.Eggman stood in a big room, working on his new machine. After a few minutes, he sat in a chair in front of a large computer. 

"Ahh," he said. "Another ingenious plan. Hopefully THIS time it won't backfire."

He watched Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles traveling deeper into his base, destroying all his robots.

"Hmm. They sure know how to take care of my robots. But they won't be prepared for what I have planned this time."Eggman said while sipping a mug of coffee.

A black ball of light flew into the room. It stopped in front of Eggman's face. Eggman fell out of his chair. the coffee spilled all over his head. He quickly got up.

"Okay, who are you?!" Eggman thundered at the ball, pointing at it, his eyebrow would be throbbing if he had eyebrows. "I will not let you ruin my plan!"

"Calm yourself down, Eggman." the dark ball of light said.

"What? How do you know my name?"

"Eggman, EVERYONE knows about you."

"Oh really? Is it because of my genius plans?"

"No. It's because of your STUPID plans that always backfire!"

"Oh."

"Well, there'll be no more of that. With me helping you, you will finally defeat Sonic and his friends."

"Go on..."

"There is this other guy who is trying to stop me, but I'll handle him. Now here's the plan..."

* * *

"Okay, Eggman robot number 5 million! A new record!" Sonic said as he homing attacked an Egg Pawn. 

"Hey Sonic, what's this?" Tails asked. There was a circular platform with rings of light flowing up one by one.

"It looks likes some kind of portal," Sonic said.

"Well there's no where further to go," said Knuckles. "Let's go in."

All three went onto the platform. They glowed and disappeared. They reappeared in a large stadium. Every seat was filled with screaming people. Sonic walked up to the crowd.

"They're fake." Sonic said. "All robots."

"Why would Eggman take the time to create all those robots?" Tails asked.

"He's had a lot of time." said Knuckles.

A black and red blur rushed past the group again.

"There's that thing again," Tails said.

The blur stopped at the other end of the field. It was a red and black hedgehog.

"Shadow?" asked Sonic.

All three ran up to the hedgehog. "Wait a minute," said Tails. "This is a Shadow Android!"

"No." the android said. "I'm better than ANY Shadow Android!"

The robot glowed with a white aura. The trio step back. The android's metallic black skin turns silver, and it's red stripes turn blue. Its eyes turn black with red digital pupils, just like Metal Sonic's. It puts its left arm forward, and it glows and turns into a laser.

"I am Metal Shadow! And you Sonic, must face me!" he said, pointing to Sonic.

The stadium changes into Kingdom Valley from Sonic Next Gen. Metal Shadow appears next to Sonic.

"We'll start with a race." Metal Shadow said.

"Cool!" Sonic said. "Tails, count down!"

"Okay... 3...2...1...GO!!"

* * *

Tell me how you like it so far! And you who gave the first review, please keep reading and reviewing!

* * *


	3. Chapter 3: Rise and Fall of Metal Shadow

* * *

**netbladezero:** Oh, and another thing! All attacks look like they do on Sonic Next Gen. Example: Homing Attack-the user(example-Sonic) is covered in white energy and those tiny balls of light are released and when he is done attacking, they go back into his body as he lands on the ground. See the second cutscene of Sonic's story on Sonic Next Gen., called The chaos emeralds entrusted. If you don't have this game, like me, see it on YouTube. 

If you don't know what Kingdom Valley looks like search for Kingdom Valley on YouTube.

* * *

Chapter 3: Rise and Fall of Metal Shadow

* * *

"3...2...1...GO!!" said Tails. "Sonic, be careful." 

"Don't worry Tails," Sonic said.

"I'll let you get a head start," Metal Shadow said.

"What?" Sonic said. "Okay then, if that's the way you wanna lose!" He took off.

Metal Shadow appeared next to Sonic 5 seconds later.

"What? So that's why," Sonic said, looking at Metal Shadow. "No fair using Chaos Control!"

Sonic went left and MS went right to avoid the pile of wooden crates.When they were past them, they were side by side again. Both looked forward as they approached a speed pad, and were launched over a big gap an onto the path again. They then jumped off and landed on a stream of water that stayed in the air and ground on it. Sonic jumped off and through a rainbow-colored ring which boosted him forward and he landed in the next platform. MS appeared next to him. They both uses Homing Attack on a rope being held up by two poles. They were bounced up and onto a platform. There were two paths of rings and each used Light Dash and followed them and jumped off and onto another rope, which plunged them into a bouncer that bounced them through 2 rainbow-colored rings and they landed on the path.

They both ran until there was no more path and they started running on the wall in their right. They kept running until there was a gap and a path of rings. They used Light Dash again and landed on the path, and then started running in the wall to the left. They were bounced up and onto another stream of water. They jumped through a rainbow ring and landed on a platform. An eagle flew by and they each grabbed on of its legs. The eagle took them to a far away platform and they started to run again, avoiding the wooden crates along the way. At the end of the path, there were 3 spikes balls. Sonic jumped over them but MS ran into them. Sonic jumped and grabbed the leg of another eagle and it took him. MS appeared grabbing the other leg.

_He's never going to stay behind_! Sonic thought, looking at MS. He looked forward as they both jumped off the eagle.

They were headed toward toward a large tower's window. They both punched through the glass and fell in. They ran up the stairs that spiraled and were outside again running. They ground on another stream of water and jumped through another rainbow ring. They landed in another tower. They jumped on a rope that plunged them toward another, and they jumped on that one and were sent towards another window. They punched through it and landed on a path. They ran to a speed pad, and were launched into the air. They landed on the side of another tower, and found themselves running up the side of it. When they reached the top, there was a Goal Ring. Sonic jumped toward it, but MS appeared in front if him and punched him down.

Before hitting the ground, Sonic placed his hands on the ground and back-flipped to his feet. He jumped toward MS and tackled him. He jumped off and headed toward the Goal Ring. MS appeared again and shot at him with the laser that was his left arm. Sonic dodged it, jumped up and used Homing Attack. MS disappeared and appeared behind Sonic. He grabbed Sonic's arm and threw him back. MS headed for the Goal Ring.

"No!" Sonic yelled. He went into ball form, charged up, and used Light Attack. MS never saw it coming and was hit by Sonic in ball form. Sonic uncurled and ran toward Goal and touched it. The area turned back into the stadium.

"Yeah! Go Sonic!" Knuckles and Tails shouted. Sonic walked up to them and all three shared a high-five.

"Congratulations, Sonic," the voice of MS said, but was nowhere to be found. "But now..."

MS appeared on the field.

"We will battle."

Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails got into a fighting stance.

"Oh no," Metal Shadow said. "Not the three of you. Only Sonic."

Knuckles and Tails stepped back.

"Well?" Sonic said. "Who'll make the first move."

"Ladies first." said MS, taking a bow.

"Hah hah hah," Sonic said sarcastically. "Very funny."

Sonic ran toward MS and started punching. MS blocked each one.

"I may have failed twice already, but I will not fail this time!"

"What do you mean?" Sonic said, still punching. "That was one time!"

"No," MS said, still blocking."Back when you first entered Eggman's base."

* * *

_Back when the trio jumped off the X-Tornado... _

_"Okay guys," Sonic said. "Let's do it." They were grinding on some rails they had landed on. They landed on a platform._

_"What? No robot welcoming committee?" Sonic said. The trio began to walk._

_"It sure seems empty here," Knuckles said and kicked a nearby robot part._

_"Could this all be a trick?" Tails asked, looking around._

_The ground began to rumble. The trio staggered around, trying to remain standing. The ground under them glowed. They ran around, trying to escape the hot ground. Tails flew up and grabbed the other two's hands, and flew off before there was a tremendous explosion._

_"Whew," Sonic said. "Thanks a bunch Tails. I don't know what we'd do without you!"_

_Just then, a black and red blur zoomed past the trio. Tails almost dropped Sonic and Knuckles._

_"Whoa, what was that?" asked Tails._

_The trio went onward and faced the robot with the hammer and defeated it. MS watched them from behind a wall._

_"That didn't work too well." said MS. "But next time I WILL defeat him!" he said, clenching his fist in front of his face._

* * *

"Oh, that WAS you." Sonic said. "Well prepare to fail for the third time!" 

Sonic caught MS off guard and punched him, sending him into the robotic crowd. Many of them were destroyed. MS got back up, disappeared and reappeared in front of Sonic. He punched, but Sonic caught it. Sonic kneed MS in the stomach. MS staggered back in pain, and would have spit if he was flesh and blood. He shook his head and punched Sonic in the gut. Sonic held his stomach and winced in pain, one eye was closed tightly. MS grabbed him and threw him into the crowd, creating a dent on the wall in the shape of Sonic.

Sonic had trouble getting up. He still held his stomach with one hand. He ran toward MS and did a spinning kick, nut missed. MS grabbed his leg and spun him around and threw him into the crowd again. Sonic slid down off the wall. Electricity crackled on the spot where Sonic hit.

"Oh no!" MS said, realizing what he had done. The stadium transformed into Seaside Hill, then into Black Comet, then Windy Valley. It then turned back into Kingdom Valley.

"It looks like Metal Shadow destroyed the mechanism that makes this room shapeshift," Tails said.

MS was frozen in place, devastated because of what he'd done.

"How could I have made such a mistake?" he said. He did not notice Sonic in on the ground next to him. Sonic did a break dancing kick, tripping MS.

"Huh?" MS said as he found himself falling into the depths. "I...have failed."

"Hmm," Sonic said. "It's so said. He's so obsessed defeating me, just like Metal Sonic was."

Just then, MS appeared next to the trio. Sonic entered a fighting stance.

"You have beaten me, for now." MS said, and disappeared. Kingdom Valley turned back to the stadium. A Warp Hole appeared.

"Let's go, guys!" Sonic said, and they all jumped into the warp.

* * *


	4. Chapter 4: The Lost City

* * *

Chapter 4: The Lost City

* * *

Sonic and friends appeared in a large circular room. A section of the wall slid to the left, revealing Eggman. 

"Eggman!" Sonic said. "So, what's this brilliant plan of yours?"

"That will be revealed. For now, meet my new friend." Eggman said A black ball of light floats forward from behind him.

"Sonic, this is...uh...Hey what IS your name?" Eggman said.

"That doesn't matter now."

"Whatever. Sonic, with his help, I will finally defeat you once and for all!"

"Oh, so you need help to beat me?"

"NO! I just...just.. Never mind!"

Eggman pulled a lever back. A machine on the ceiling makes a purple barrier appear over the trio.

"Goodbye, Sonic." Eggman said and waved. "Say hello to my grandchildren!"

"Oh no!" Tails said. "Eggman's sending us to the future!"

"That's right! Bye bye!"

A white ball of light flew into the room. It glowed more brightly and launched itself toward the machine on the ceiling.

"No you don't!" the black ball said and flew toward the white one. It launched itself toward it, knocking it away. The white ball move out of the way as the black ball shot a black ball of energy at it. It tackled the black ball, knocking it toward Eggman. Eggman moved out of the way. "Hey, watch it!"

"Who're those guys?" Sonic asked.

Tails watched the balls of light battle. "I don't know, but they sure don't like each other."

The white ball of light dodges another black blast, and tackles the black ball. It then fires a white energy ball at the machine, and the purple barrier turns red.

"No!" Eggman yelled. He reached for the lever, but the red light covered every inch of the room, just as a black hedgehog entered the room.

"Huh? What's this?" the hedgehog said. Everyone in the room blacked out.

* * *

A while later, Sonic opened his eyes. He saw shoes that looked exactly like Knuckles'. 

"Knuckles..." he said, rising up and holding his head. "Where.. are we?"

He looked up. Standing before him was an echidna, but not Knuckles. He had white fur, and black rings were around his quills. He had a long white mustache under his nose. Around him was a city. Echidnas were all over the place. Young ones played. It looked just like the city the echidnas lived in (back in the past) that the gang found during the days of Chaos.

"Your not Knuckles," Sonic said. "Who are you?"

"My name is Brass. I brought you here for your help."

"Where's Tails and Knuckles..and Eggman?"

Brass pointed to something behind Sonic, and Sonic turned around. On the ground before him was Tails and Knuckles, still asleep. There was also a black and red hedgehog, just beginning to wake up.

"Shadow?" Sonic said. "Where did you come from?"

Shadow stood up. "Hmm..Sonic? What're you doing here?"

"I was facing Eggman and we were teleported here."

"I was sent to Eggman's base by GUN to investigate his new plan."

"Shadow, YOU joined GUN? That's great!"

"Whatever. Where the heck are we?"

"I don't know." Sonic pointed his thumb back at Brass. "This guy was telling me something."

* * *

Eggman woke up. He stood up. He was in some sort of temple, black in color. He looked around. There was a black echidna leaning against the wall. A rose was sticking out of his mouth. 

The echidna removed the rose. "About time you woke up."

"Who are you?"

"It's me. The dark ball. Allow me to introduce myself. The name's Iron. Iron the echidna."

"Where are we?"

"This is where I'm from." Iron said. "I couldn't be in your base because I cannot leave this place. This is the City of..."

* * *

"...Gems, or just Gem City." Brass said. 

"I notice your an echidna," Sonic said. "I thought Knuckles was the only one left."

"I will explain that. Long ago, before Knuckles was even born, when his father was a child, the Echidna race found a portal in their temple. In order to preserve the echidna race, a remnant of them went into the portal, and ended up here. The place was deserted, and that remnant began to populate. It is a good thing that they did, for as you have said, those that stayed back are now gone."

"Whoa..." Sonic said.

"Sonic?" Tails asked, and stood up. "Where are we?"

Knuckles then awakened. "Where is this?"

"Listen guys," Sonic said. "This echidna is..."

* * *

"Brass, the one that's trying to stop me." Iron said with an angry look on his face. 

"But what exactly is your goal?" Eggman asked.

"You see, the Chaos Emeralds' energy have been repeatedly used for evil. There was the time when Chaos used there negative energy to become Perfect Chaos.."

"Yes, and also the time when the Biolizard used them."

"Right, and also when Metal Sonic copied the Chaos Data from a frog and a Chao, and used that energy to become Metal Madness."

"Mmhmm, and when Black Doom used them to warp his comet to Earth's surface."

"Correct. Well, Brass wants to bring the emerald here to cleanse them of negative energy. When he does this, all negative energy of the Chaos Emeralds will disappear, rendering them useless to anyone except those with good intentions."

* * *

"And that's why I need your help," Brass said. "Iron, Knuckles' uncle, is working with Dr.Eggman to stop me, so they can use the emeralds for evil!" 

"We've gotta stop them then!" Sonic said.

"My uncle?" Knuckles said, confused. "I don't remember having any uncles. And I don't remember you either."

"It was before you were born Knuckles," Brass said. "After you were born, myself and Iron had already went here."

"Brass," Sonic said. "How are we gonna stop Iron and Eggman?"

"You just need to find the Chaos Emeralds before they do, and bring them to me. This should be pretty easy, beside the fact that Eggman and Iron are sure to be get in our way."

"Okay, but how do we get out of here to go find them?"

"You just need to go through the portal. You'll end up at Station Square. And when you want to come here..."

Brass pulled out 4 golden necklaces out of his "pocket". One has a black and red circle in the center, one has a blue one, one has a yellow one and the last is red.

"I'm pretty sure you know whose is whose." Brass said. Each person takes there necklace and puts it on.

"We can communicate with each other using these." Brass said.

"Cool!" Sonic said, looking at the blue circle. "Wheres the portal?"

"Its in the Light Temple. Follow me." Brass said ans started to walk.

* * *

"That is NOT good," Eggman said. "If he succeeds, I might as well give up! Almost all of my plans center around the Chaos Emeralds! We've got to win! But, I need some sort of base..." 

"Oh, don't worry about that!" Iron said, proudly. He pressed his finger on the wall. Glowing yellow letters appeared on the black walls. They were illegible, being of an ancient language.

The temple began to shake. A wall behind Eggman slid up. Inside was a brown slab on the wall. It glowed, and turned into a screen. Buttons appeared big, rectangular rock under the new screen, becoming a keyboard.

"Wow," Eggman said, staring in amazement. "What technology!"

"Yes. This is Dark Temple." Iron said. "The ancient echidnas were very advanced. It looks like Sonic and his friends are headed toward the portal back to Earth. I'll take care of them."

Iron jumped through a portal that appeared in the temple.

* * *

"Here it is." Brass said. "The Light Temple." 

All four heroes stared in amazement at the large, white temple. Black letters of an ancient language lined the walls. Brass walked inside, and the others followed. There was a portal in the center of the temple. A silhouette appeared inside, and jumped out. It was a black echidna.

"It's Iron!" Brass shouted.

"That's right!" Iron said. "And I'm afraid you guys won't be going any further."

* * *


	5. Chapter 5: Iron Knuckles

* * *

CHAPTER 5: Iron Knuckles

* * *

Eggman observed the confrontation from the Dark Temple on his new computer. 

"Yeah!" Eggman clamored, throwing his arm into the air. "Really show those guys!"

* * *

"Is that so?" Sonic argued. "Well how are you going to make sure of that?" 

The black echidna glanced at the blue hedgehog. "Such bravery. But bravery is foolishness when facing Iron!"

Sonic assumed a fighting stance. "You're pretty sure of yourself. Why don't we find out who the fool really is?"

Iron followed suit. "Try me."

Sonic prepared to charge toward Iron but an arm blocked him.

Sonic turned his head and looked at the user of the arm. "Knuckles, get off! What are you doing?"

Knuckles glared at Iron, giving no attention to Sonic's plea.

Iron stared back at Knuckles. "He looks...so much like him..."

"Like who?" Sonic asked.

"Never mind." answered Iron. "Weren't we in the middle of something?"

"Yeah! I was about to kick your butt, but Knuckles here stopped me!"

"Sonic...let me fight him." Knuckles said.

"Why?"

"There's something about him that makes me just hate him. I don't know what it is, but I must fight him!"

"That's very heroic, saving Sonic from his demise," Iron said, closing his eyes. "But you won't fare any better than him!"

"Let's see about that!" Knuckles yelled. He jumped toward Iron, one fist forward. Iron stood there.

"Aren't you gonna move? Our are you giving up!?" Knuckles asked.

Iron's eyes remained closed. He focused on the incoming echidna. He felt the air moving rapidly around him. He put his open hand up, just in time to catch Knuckles' punch.

"Wha?" Knuckles said, as Iron held on to his fist, holding him in the air.

Iron opened his eyes. "Surprised, huh?" He pointed to his own head. "I can sense sound waves, and movements in the air. I can dodge any attack, no matter where it comes."

"Really?" Knuckles said angrily. "Dodge this!"

Knuckles swung with his free fist, but only for Iron to catch it easily.

"Arrgh!" Knuckles said. "Let me GO!"

"Okay, if you say so!" Iron said. He spun Knuckles around and threw him outside the temple. He jumped in the air after him.High in the air, he clobbered Knuckles down to the ground with a two-fisted slam. Knuckles hit the ground, creating an explosion of dirt. Echidnas ran for safety.

Iron landed on the ground and towered over Knuckles. Knuckles whole body ached.

"You are weak, just like your-uggh!" Iron began to speak before being sent to the ground by a blue blur. A dust cloud formed where he once stood.

Iron leaned up, while still on the ground. He rubbed his mouth with a hand that rivaled Knuckles' hands in size. As the dust cleared, Sonic stood with his hands on his hips.

"Next time you want to gang up on one of my buddies, make sure I'm nowhere around, okay?"

Iron stood up. "How dare you...You don't know what you're getting yourself into!"

Iron charged for Sonic. Sonic jumped high into the air. He went into ball form and glowed with white light, spinning rapidly. He launched down to earth, aiming for Iron.

"Hmm, no problem," Iron said. He closed his eyes. He heard the sound of Sonic spinning very quickly, and felt the air being moved rapidly around Sonic. As the blue sphere got closer, he put his hands out. He caught Sonic, but Sonic only spun more rapidly.

Iron was being pushed back. Long footprints trailed before his feet as he struggled to keep from being forced backward.

Sonic ejected himself off of Iron, knocking him down. There was a burn mark on Irons torso.

Sonic uncurled and landed on the ground. The white energy balls returned to his body.

Iron got up halfway, but winced in pain as his chest felt a stinging pain. "Ngh..I'll get you for this!" He got up again, but his chest hurt more as the wind blew his way. He jumped up and disappeared.

"And don't EVER try that again!" Sonic yelled.

"Sonic.."

Sonic glanced down at the one who called his name. Knuckles was marked with bruises.

"It'll be okay!" Sonic assured him. "I'll go get Tails."

"Yowch!" Knuckles exclaimed as Sonic held his arm. Tails got a cast out of the medical compartment of the X-Tornado. He gently wrapped the white cast around the arm, being careful not to harm it. He got one of those arm holders that straps on the shoulder and put it on Knuckles.

"Thanks Tails," Knuckles said calmly.

"Don't mention it," Tails said, giving a thumbs up.

"You get better, okay Knuckles?" Sonic asked. "We really need you."

"I will." Knuckles said with a sort of depressed expression.

"What's wrong?" Tails asked.

"It's just that I feel so useless now! You guys will be searching for emeralds while I sit here recovering."

"Don't worry too much Knuckles!" Sonic said. "We've searched for them plenty of times before! This'll be easy! Shortest adventure ever!"

"If you say so.."

* * *

"Here, use this." Eggman said, handing Iron a white tube of some sort of gel. 

"What's this?" Iron asked, taking it.

"It's Eggman's Number #1 Painkiller Cream!" He answered, one finger up, looking like he was on a TV commercial.

"I supposed you've needed this from time to time, losing against Sonic over and over."

'True...But hey, no more pain!"

"You're so pathetic." Iron turned his back on Eggman and rubbed the cream on his chest. The cream felt cold and then faded away, along with the bruise. The burning was healed!

"Oh really? Then how did I get this?" Eggman took a yellow Chaos Emerald out of his pocket.

"Hmm? Nice. But we must find the other six."

"Yeah, I know. But I need my robots from my base. Here, I have nothing to make new ones with."

"Fine. I'll go to your base and bring them here."

"Good. Let me make it easier for you."

Eggman hands Iron a small CD. There is a small red button on it.

"This is what I call a TransDisk Press the button and point it at a target. The target will be transformed into data and put into the disk. Use this to get my ground base and bring it here."

Iron headed for the portal in the main room of the temple. He stopped and looked back at Eggman, who gave him a thumbs up.

"He really is a genius." Iron said. He jumped through.


End file.
